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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · mug · key · game · root · rush · pop · bowl

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. hand — help
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pop — to visit
  8. root — the cause
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pop — music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. hand — in cards
  14. key — the most important part
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mug — to rob
  19. root — of a word
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. game — a match
  23. key — in music
  24. pop — soda

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com